Wish Upon A Star
by Tadashi
Summary: A wistful wish on a shooting star turns the lives of everyone at Pallet High upside-down - particularly Ash and Gary, who are forced to deal with each others lives, and finally resolve some unsettling issues. updated 7/12/10
1. Sweet Nothings and Sour Feelings

The idea for this... well, it hit me while I was in the shower the other day. Guys, I swear, when my mind wanders, weird stuff happens ; But this fic is just too good to pass up...

I'm using English names, so nya. The sole exception is Jun, whose dub name I do not like.

**Disclaimer:** Pokémon, all names & everything in relation, is the property of Satoshi Tajiri and his affiliates.

**Title:** Wish Upon A Star

**Author:** Tadashi

**Archive:** you're looking at it

**Rating:** PG-13 for coarse language and mature subject matter. [s]Viewer discretion is advised.[/s]

**Pairing/s:** Ah, but the specifics are for me to know and for you to find out ;) It's Multishipping, that's all I'll say for now. Oh, and there's going to be yaoi, so buckle up.

**Chapter 1:** Sweet Nothings and Sour Feelings

* * *

"_Goooooood morning Pallet Town! It's just about 8:15 am and everybody is feeling the rush to get to work on time. It's an unseasonably chilly 45 degrees Fahrenheit outside, so be sure to bundle up, especially if you're walking! And now let's check in with our traffic helicopter, see how –_ "

The radio announcement was cut short just there. Now the dark-haired boy would never know how the traffic was doing. '_Like it matters_', he thought darkly. He despised waking up to his alarm clock.

The boy groaned loudly and stretched his appendages as far as he could. Then he quickly retracted to the depths of his blankets; that DJ had been right about the chill. He muttered some dark thoughts about the cold. He hated anything to do with cold. Especially since Pallet Town had just suffered a record-breakingly freezing winter, he looked forward to the warmth of spring. Thankfully, April was just a few short days away.

Still muttering about the cold, he untangled himself from his cozy cocoon and shuffled his way out bed. Slowly, just as he did every morning, he shuffled toward the bathroom door. Every morning, without fail, he always tripped over something. This time, it was one of his school books. "OW! Sonofa_bitch_!" he paused his trek to the bathroom to seize his pained toes, hissing angrily at his textbook.

Once the pain had subsided well enough to allow him to continue walking, he stumbled into the bathroom with the grace of a drunken hobo. He fumbled for the light switch and winced at the sudden surge of light. His bedroom had been perfectly dark, and the harsh light hurt his eyes. He scrubbed his face clean with the water he'd collected from the running tap, and faced his reflection. His hair looked especially uncooperative today. '_Well, that's what hats are for_,' he conceded.

After retrieving his favorite pair of jeans – his "don't care jeans", as he called them – and digging up a black shirt that didn't smell utterly atrocious, he plopped his favorite cap over his messy black hair and grabbed his backpack. He paused quickly to check his reflection. '_Definitely had better days_,' came the sad realization. But instead of going back to redo himself, he quickly shrugged his backpack over his shoulders and tripped over an old pair of shorts on his way out the door.

"Morning, sweetie! I made you breakfast!" his mother's bright trill caught him as he descended the stairs, causing the boy to scowl darkly. How could anyone be so sickeningly sweet this early in the morning?

"Hi mom," he grumbled in reply, slumping carelessly into his chair. In a flash, there was a plate full of pancakes before him. "Do you want some milk, hun?" Her son grumbled in reply, and she set a full glass beside his plate. She was completely used to his sour demeanor in the mornings. Though why he had yet to warm up to her sunny morning attitude in the sixteen years of his life mystified her.

No sooner had she set the plate before him were the pancakes gone. She turned around and scooped up the plate with ease. "Do you want some more, hun?" she asked, but a quick, "no thank you" allowed her to toss the plate into the dishwasher.

With another quick twirl, her son was halfway to the door, grabbing his jacket from the arm of the couch on his way. "Ash Ketchum, you get upstairs and brush your teeth this minute!" she reprimanded. "_Mom!_" came the annoyed reply, thought slightly guilt-ridden.

After returning from the bathroom, making a beeline for the front door, Delia traipsed after him lightly, a brown-bagged lunch already in hand. "Ash, honey, don't forget your lunch!" She reminded him daily. "Oh, thanks, mom." He took the bag gratefully, just like he did every day. Delia smiled at her son in reply. No matter his attitude, she loved their daily back-and-forth.

As he donned his jacket and shoes, Delia swiftly placed his lunch into his backpack. "Do you have everything, sweetie? All your books?"

"_Yes_, mother. I've got it! I'm gonna be late!" though he kept his face straight, his tone was playful. He always loved his mother's bright disposition, even if it sometimes annoyed him. It made him forget about how crappy he really felt. He opened the door and let himself out onto the walkway. "Have a good day, sweetie!" Delia called to him. "Bye, mom!" he called back. As soon as he was on the sidewalk, the front door clicked swiftly behind him.

Now 8:35 am, Ash started on his trek to school. But not before he looked at the house directly across the street from his. It was the most extravagant-looking house on the block, having been built fairly recently for Professor Samuel Oak. Oak, an elderly man of 60, had spent most of his life cavorting with the scientific community, earning him vast amounts of wealth and fame. He also had found a fondness for teaching, which allowed him to hold tenure at Viridian University, a forty-minute drive outside Pallet Town. Success came easily to him, and he was likeable to everyone who knew him.

But Professor Oak didn't live alone in that house.

All that fame and success was bound to attract a woman, who, two generations later, became the late grandmother of Ash's least favorite person on the entire planet.

And that person was named Gary Oak.

"Now, he may look like your typical pretty-boy with oodles of brains and more than enough popularity for everyone on the block, but in reality, he is so much more than that." That was the way Ash had once-upon-a-time described Gary to his mother, and he liked the way it sounded. By "so much more," he meant that Gary was arrogant to the point that it pissed Ash off the very second that anyone used his name.

From the moment that they had met – at the age of 9 – Ash had seriously contemplated attacking Gary with a sharp rock to put Gary out of Ash's misery. Seven years later, their distaste for each other had quickly settled to a deep-seated rivalry, where Gary was easily the winner.

Ash wasn't 100% sure what had sparked their rivalry (though it could have been the rock), but as far back as that first meeting, he was certain that Gary was out to destroy him. At first, he thought it might've been his imagination, but he quickly realized he was right. From something as completely innocent as "accidentally" tripping Ash with a wayward footstep, to not-so-accidentally throwing an egg on Ash's window last Halloween, Gary was a constant source of stress in Ash's life, with Ash unable to properly fight back. And now that Gary was here to stay, mysteriously coming to town to live with his grandfather at the start of the school year. And Ash hated every second of it.

Without even realizing it, Ash had completely pissed away five minutes of his life, standing mindlessly across the street from the Oak residence. "OH NO! I'm gonna be _soooo_ late!!" he groaned in dismay and dashed off in the direction of his school. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, Gary laughed.

* * *

Lucky for Ash, he made it to school with five minutes to spare. He couldn't afford to have another detention this month, especially for being late. A teacher gave him a sharp word for running in the halls. Ash apologized and skidded around the corner, while the teacher muttered something along the lines of Ash needing a clean detention slate for the upcoming month of April.

He made it to his locker with a giant gasp of relief. Students around him tossed him annoyed or suspicious glances, then resumed their mindless chattering.

"_Goooooood morning Ash!!_" the cry was not enough to prevent the sudden crushing hug being bestowed upon him, not to mention the sudden loss of floor beneath his feat. After a gasp for breath, the young Freshman set the cranky Sophomore firmly back on the ground. "Wow, it's chilly out there, isn't it? Thanks for that hug! I feel all warm and cozy now!" The quick chatter was enough to give Ash an instant headache. Or it could be the sudden head rush. "Jun, you know damn well not to do that to me," Ash complained.

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, Ash! Please, don't be mad at me!" Ash suddenly found himself staring into the vivid orange eyes of his friend Jun. They were sparkling with fake tears to compliment his perfectly melodramatic "sad puppy dog" expression. "I promise I won't do it again~"

Ash sighed. "You need to stop that. It won't be long until I develop an immunity to your sickness."

"AAAASH, YOU'RE THE BEST!" Jun hugged him from the front this time, though with less force than before. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Just then, the bell rang, indicating the start of class. "Oop, there's the bell! I'll see you at lunch! Now, don't you be late, Ash, or I'm fining you ten million dollars!" Quick as a flash, Jun rushed headlong toward his first class.

Ash rubbed the side of his temple. He couldn't understand why everybody was so sickeningly sweet first thing in the morning.

* * *

The bore of Ash's classes was punctured only by Jun's incessant babbling over the course of lunch. Ash kept up a pathetic effort by nodding and grunting in response, usually at the worst possible moment. He had been enjoying his silent hatred of Gary before school, and he wanted to get back to that feeling. In an effort to do so, he kept his eyes open for Gary, in an effort to track him down and send evil thoughts his way.

"**ASH!**" Jun slammed his fist on the table, startling all within a 3-table radius. "What on _earth_ are you looking at?!" he demanded.

Ash sighed, and sipped his soda carefully. "Jun, have you ever thought about sitting with the Freshmen from your class?" he let that sentence slip out carefully, hoping not to provoke another outburst.

"Nope! They're all a bunch of immature brats. I like you, Ash. You're so broody and mysterious!" he added that last line with a slight edge in his voice. The 'edge' slipped clear over Ash's head. He was back to tracking Gary again.

After a minute of silence, Jun shook his carefully styled strawberry blonde hair in dismay. "Honestly Ash, I can't understand your sudden fixation with Gary."

'_Honestly, neither can I_.'

**To Be Continued!**

Ah, ain't it lovely? This is the most I've written at a single time in... man, a really long time _; But I had fun, believe you me ^^ Jun makes everything fun. Get used to him, kids – he's gonna be around for a while.

Please don't hesitate to leave me a quick review about how you think I did with this ^^ I'm going to be working on this for a while yet, so rest assured, there will be loads of laughs and action coming up in Chapter 2!

So, until next time, later days!


	2. Carefully Constructed Lies

Thanks everyone, for your kind words and encouragement!

I'm really glad that everybody liked the way I wrote Ash XD Quite a difference from the happy-go-lucky type we see in the show, yes?

**Chapter 2: **Carefully Constructed Lies

* * *

_Briiiiiiiiing!_

As if guided inexorably by invisible puppet strings, Ash hauled himself out of his desk chair and shuffled down the hallway to his locker with enough grace to avoid bumping into the myriad of students milling in the hallways. He had barely had a chance to get his locker open when someone addressed him.

"Hey Ash! You ready to go yet?"

By the sound of the voice, Ash knew that it was none other than Jun. He was the only person stupid enough to keep coming back to Ash, like the annoying blonde boomerang that he was.

Ash was very careful not to speak to, or look at Jun until he had gathered his things together. Jun leaned up against the neighboring locker, humming cheerily as he watched Ash's every movement. With a final slam of his locker door, Ash stalked off toward the exit, with Jun eagerly at his heels in an eerily puppy-like way. This was Jun's cue to pick up his senseless chattering to distract Ash's thoughts from veering too much into the dark side.

They reached Ash's house in no time at all, as Jun had nagged Ash to keep up with his overly brisk pace. Again, Ash wondered why he seemed to be a magnet for the overly happy and bubbly personalities around him. Delia was already standing in the doorframe as Ash and Jun neared the house. She smiled brightly at the two boys.

"Hi boys! How was school today?" she greeted them with a smile. They eased their way inside as the door clicked shut behind them. Jun chattered with Delia while she kept an eye on her wordless son. As had been the ritual since September, Jun accompanied Ash home and chatted with Delia while the threesome enjoyed a platter of milk and cookies. The scene was like that of a garden party, with the happy voices resounding with laughter and bright words.

Through it all, Ash felt oddly disconnected to his body, like he was stumbling around in a hazy dream.

After their snack, the boys made their way into the den to do their homework. All the while, the sounds of dinner being made provided excellent background noise as Ash applied himself to his homework as best as he could. He was easily distracted by the occasional conversation made by Delia and Jun. Though neither one addressed him directly, he was beginning to wish that they would. His throat was beginning to feel the strain of disuse.

Dinner came and went, by which time Ash was starting to feel more awake and alive than he had all day. The sun had set quickly, casting the town into darkness once more. The night brought Ash some comfort. People were easing into silence after a long day's chatter. The thought of everyone falling into an easy silence was enough to bring a grin to his lips.

Ash helped Jun collect the dirty dishes as Delia placed them in the dishwasher. She then thanked the two boys, and both replied in unison, "No problem." These two little words from her son made Delia smile brightly. Finally, she knew her son was beginning to perk up. Ash rubbed his throat to get his voice going.

The two boys then excused themselves to retreat upstairs, as was their after-dinner custom. After they mired through Ash's filthy, laundry-covered floor, they went outside to the small balcony adjacent to Ash's room. There, two deck chairs, a small circular table and a telescope on a tripod took up what little floor space there was to be had. Unfortunately for Ash, the deck was in direct view of Gary's house directly across the street. No matter; Gary didn't have a deck facing his house.

"So," Jun said once they assumed their seats. "You gonna tell me about your incessant staring at lunch?" Of course, he was talking about Ash keeping tabs on Gary in the lunchroom.

"It's _nothing!_" Ash groaned, hating having to explain himself to Jun.

"Don't tell me you're interested in him!" Jun feigned a look of shock and horror. "After all these years of hate, there's a sudden attraction? A forbidden romance?" he smiled at the dark-haired boy coyly.

"Jun, I swear to god–"

"Relax, I'm just teasing you." Jun eased his deck chair into a backward tilt. Ash too settled into his deck chair, appeased by Jun's apology.

"Besides, he wouldn't go for you anyway."

Ash's head pillow made instant contact with the side of Jun's head.

"Hey!"

"You're so _not_ funny, you know that?" Ash grinned, retrieving the pillow from the floor.

"You're such a bad liar, you know that?" Jun chided him in reply. Ash was glad for their easy, playful banter. He'd never had a friend like Jun.

The two sat in silence for a while, star gazing while the sounds of the neighborhood wafted along the air. A car door clicking shut, children laughing happily in the nearby park… and the sudden loud music coming from the Oak house.

"Whaddya think's going on over there?" Jun asked casually, checking the time on his wristwatch.

"Does it look like I care?" Ash's snappy reply held a trace of dejection. "But if I know Gary, and unfortunately I do, he's probably having his girlfriend-of-the-week over for some _fun_." He had said the word _fun _in the way that most people would say the word _manure_.

Jun turned to Ash with a grin. "Man, you are so in denial and you don't even know it!" Silence, then Jun continued. "Come on, Ash, is it so hard to admit that you're at _least_ interested in knowing why he's back to living here? Ever since he came here in September, it's been nothing but 'Gary this' and 'Gary that'!"

"It's hard to forget about someone if they keep reminding you of their presence," Ash replied sourly.

Jun sighed. "It's April first tomorrow, I forgot." Ash could hear the guilt in Jun having forgotten that touchy subject. "Well, maybe it won't be so bad… maybe he'll just go easy on you this time. I mean, you're in _tenth grade_! That's too old to pull April Fools pranks, anyway!" Silence. "You want me to rough him up for ya? You know, tell him to take a hike if he tries anything funny?"

"No," Ash spat out his reply. "It's bad enough that my only friend is a Freshman, so I don't need you to stand up for me!"

The sting in his words took Jun aback. "Hey, I didn't mean–"

"It's okay," Ash sighed. "I can face up to this on my own. After all, I'm in the tenth grade. I didn't mean to sound harsh, okay?"

"Okay," Jun smiled at his friend. Sure, he was Ash's only friend, but it didn't mean that Ash didn't acknowledge the Best Friends necklace that had been bought for him. Unbeknownst to Jun, Ash had stuffed it in one of the deepest, darkest corners of his Memory Box. He didn't want to risk losing such an important object.

After some more silence, to the tune of Gary's sound system, Jun stretched and got up from his chair. "I'm heading home now, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you," Ash waved lazily as Jun made his way back into the house. Once he was sure that Jun was out of the house completely, he shuffled over to his telescope, and positioned it toward Gary's house.

* * *

Across the street, in the backyard of the Oak place, there was nothing to be found but good music, dimmed lights, and the warmth of an outdoor hot tub. In the warm, bathing-suited glow of the hot tub sat Gary and his latest girlfriend, a young brunette named Giselle.

"Wow Gary, you sure know how to treat a girl," she giggled sweetly, leaning her head onto Gary's shoulder. "These past three months have been just wonderful."

"Well baby, you know how I do," he flashed a dazzling smile whilst simultaneously wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She let out an approving "ooh", then allowed herself to be swept up in a passionate kiss.

* * *

Upon seeing this terribly cheesy sight, Ash made a disgusted face and backed away from his telescope. What a bad time to go Gary-Watching.

Ash assumed his previous reclined position on the deck chair, trying to shake the image of Gary playing tonsil hockey from his mind. After a few moments, he took up his telescope – carefully aiming it away from Gary's backyard before looking into it.

This time, he took a look into the night sky. He liked to watch the stars come out to play, since they're difficult to see in large towns and cities. He didn't like to track their movements – it was just a rare bit of self-indulgence for him.

A shooting star suddenly flashed before Ash's eyes and he let out a gasp of delight. He loved shooting stars, and he relished the chance to make wishes on them. Ash loved shooting stars, and he relished the chance to make wishes on them. He waited for a second shooting star, his wish on the tip of his tongue. He didn't have to wait long – the moment he spotted the next shooter, he squeezed his eyes shut, and muttered his wish to the heavens.

"I wish that I could be Gary Oak."

**To Be Continued!**

Huzzah, more Junliciousness. Yes, I made that word up. But this is where the ball really gets rolling, kids. So please, stick around for chapter 3. I promise to post quicker next time.

Later days!


	3. A Day in the Life of Gary Oak

Woops, I haven't updated this since April… I guess life's just been getting in the way, you know? Anyway, it's still nice to get some reviews.

* * *

**Chapter 3: **A Day In the Life of Gary Oak

* * *

**OMNISCIENT NARRATOR'S POV**

_Four years, you think for sure that's all you have to endure. All the total dicks, all the stuck-up chicks. So superficial, so immature._

But we don't need to use the whole song here. You get the idea.

And it's here at Pallet Town High School where our story begins. Just like any high school, achieving popularity is the ultimate pinnacle for most. Those who want it don't have it, and those who have it abuse it. Well, there's always an exception to that rule.

Meet Riley, a 17-year old Senior here at PTHS. He's tall, well read, courteous, and extremely well dressed. The eldest of the trio, girls and guys alike will swoon at his appeal. Yet he doesn't say much. And when he does speak, there's never a negative word to be found. He always sees the good in everything, and strives to be polite to all. You'd think a guy like that would be off the beaten track in terms of high school popularity, but how can you go wrong when you've got the total package?

Then there are his friends, who more fit the high school popularity quota.

Where there's Riley, there's Drew. Despite being the shortest of the popular boys, his larger-than-life attitude more than makes up for it. Unlike Riley, whose silence does not attract crowds of girls, Drew can always be seen with at least three girls tagging along behind him. Coupled with his family's riches, Drew's ego is easily his biggest asset. Popularity and good looks do nothing for his outlook on the unpopular, nor do they keep him particularly intelligent. Thankfully, Drew's year-younger Sophomore cheerleader girlfriend, May, keeps him grounded.

And of course, no Pallet High most popular boy trio is complete without their leader, Gary Oak. 16 and a Sophomore, he's the youngest of the group. Yet since his arrival at Pallet High at the start of the school year, he brought the spark that ignited the clear separation of the popular kids. He's extremely intelligent, yet he chooses to use it manipulatively. By getting good grades and becoming friends with the teachers, they're less likely to punish Gary for his wrongdoings. He knows how to push peoples' buttons, how to get them to say or do what he needs them to do. His crafty sweet-talking is ultimately what landed him his position of leadership within the group.

Unlike his older companions, Gary sees fit to bully anyone he pleases, with little no regard for the consequences. So it shouldn't surprise you that his favorite victim is none other than his across-the-street neighbor, Ash Ketchum. Ash was constantly the victim of cruel jokes and tricks throughout the year, all of which were too easy for Gary to pull off. He never got tired of frustrating the poor boy and having a laugh at his expense. They say Gary's selectiveness is part of an incident some seven years prior to Gary's return to Pallet Town. But Gary doesn't want to talk about it. He'd dismiss the question with a wave of his hand with an order to drop the subject.

Still, it didn't stop the entire student body from wondering whatever happened between them.

* * *

"They're here!" the anonymous whisper set the stage for the grand entrance. The front doors blew open as Gary, flanked by Drew and Riley, glided down the halls with ease. People stood up against their lockers, leaving as much room as possible in the middle of the halls. Occasionally, one of them would say a few words to another student. But lord help you if you stood in the way of their morning trek.

"Look at that, it's disgusting!" Ash whispered fiercely. "Every day it's like the parting of the Red Sea, all because Gary and his friends are _popular_."

The criticism went right over Jun's head, for he stood in complete reverence of the trio.

"Jun!"

"Huh?" Jun's gaze was still glassy as his eyes met Ash's.

Ash sighed and laid his head onto his locker door. "Nevermind."

* * *

Now March 31st, it was no surprise to Drew and Riley that Gary would be out to pull a particularly extreme prank on Ash. That day at lunch, Gary surveyed the cafeteria. He was still undecided.

"You gonna eat already, or what?" Drew quipped, waving a piece of sushi tantalizingly before Gary.

"Please, keep that smelly dish away from me. You know how much I hate it," Gary shrank back, covering his mouth with his hand.

Drew chuckled and swiftly ate the sushi. "Baby." After a moment's silence, he spoke up again. "So you got your prank for Ketchum ready? You'd better fill us in if you expect us to help."

"Speak for yourself," Riley murmured over the top of the book he was reading. Drew rolled his eyes at him.

"I dunno yet," Gary leaned back in his chair, putting his hands up behind his head. "There's nothing _good_ I can do at school without getting in trouble."

"You? Get in trouble? As if! You're Gary Oak, schmoozer of teachers and administrators alike! You hardly got into any trouble all year," Drew leaned onto the table. "What makes you think that they'll bust you tomorrow?"

Gary shrugged. "Meh. Someone's _bound_ to tell if I go too far."

"So then do something outside of school. You can't get in trouble if you're off the grounds."

Gary shrugged again. "We'll see. Besides, it's not like I have time tonight anyway. Giselle's coming over."

Drew grinned. "Nice!" The two boys slapped five. "So? You gonna do it?"

Gary smiled hesitantly back. "Well, I was thinking –"

"No, no thinking," Drew snapped. "Remember the code? _You _installed it, and you know the rules! After 3 months exactly, you do the deed. Break up with her," he crossed his arms adamantly.

"Come on, do you honestly expect that rule to last for the rest of high school? What about you and May?" he teased.

"Hey man, you agreed to make an exception after Riley vouched for me," Drew teased back. Riley nonchalantly flipped a page in his book.

"So, what? Are you just gonna cop out like I did? I thought you only hooked up with her cuz she was on the rebound anyway," Drew questioned. He sensed a weakness in his fearless leader.

After a moment's hesitation, Gary grinned at him. "Hell no, I'm not a little bitch like you." The two boys slapped another high five. Riley rolled his eyes.

"The usual, then? Dinner, hot tubbing, and tears?"

Gary looked right into Drew's eyes, his dazzling green ones flashing impishly. "You know how I do."

* * *

Indeed, within a few short hours, Giselle experienced just what Gary could do. After a few harsh words and a dramatic exit, the brunette leaned into a bubbling jet stream to help wash away the day's difficulties.

A sudden bright light caused his eyes to snap open – it was a shooting star, streaking across the middle of the street, brilliantly visible to anyone on the street.

He closed his eyes and leaned back once again. "I wish I could live a different life."

* * *

**To Be Continued!**

**Song Used: **"_High School Never Ends_" by Bowling For Soup

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

Later days!


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